Dogger

Rob ‘Dogger’ Smith, the London-based Mancunian, delivers liquid drum & bass steeped in soul.

Smith sat in front of a drum kit before he could walk and played in bands throughout his teens. His musical landscape has been shaped by where he grew up. Manchester’s foreboding skies and frequent rain clouds mean, like so many Mancunian musicians that have come before him, he connects to music with a melancholy undertone that’s provocative and emotional.

Dogger got into DJing, and later producing, on discovering and falling in love with jungle. Tracks of influence collide, specifically in drum & bass legends Calibre and the late, great Marcus Intalex. Beyond these, Smith’s influences span David Lynch, Joy Division, and Björk.

Dogger likes his music stripped back, allowing space for the vocal line to shine, and nowhere does this ring truer than on the title track of Broken Home. Across the four tracks, singer-songwriter Liam Bailey (Bailey laid down the vocal on Chase & Status’ 2011 classic ‘Blind Faith’), brings warmth and soul to Dogger & Mindstate’s crisp and atmospheric production.

Fast forward to 2022, Dogger’s imprint [ P R E C I N C T ] is 3 years old, releasing music from artists, known and undiscovered. Dogger continues his musical path on the label, most recently collaborating with the amazing Tyler Daily of ‘Children of Zeus’ with their stripped-back soulful single – Try Again.